The Kennedys defeat Derek to claim Radio Times Comedy Show Champion title
The BBC comedy series toppled Ricky Gervais's sitcom in a tense final showdown
BBC comedy The Kennedys has toppled Ricky Gervais' Derek to become Radio Times Comedy Show Champion 2015.
More than 1 million votes were cast throughout the tournament, with The Kennedys claiming 63% of the vote in the final round.
Based on the memoirs of actress and comedian Emma Kennedy, the sitcom – set in the 1970s – follows the Kennedy family as they attempt to climb the social ladder on their Stevenage housing estate.
The series stars The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson, comedian Dan Skinner and child actress Lucy Hutchinson.
Despite an incredibly strong performance throughout the tournament, Gervais was no match for The Kennedys' excellent Twitter campaign.
Writer Emma Kennedy managed to assemble quite the crack team of tweeters, including The Great British Bake Off's Sue Perkins and broadcaster and writer Emma Freud.
The battle for glory isn't over just yet though - The Kennedys will now progress to the TV Show Champion finals, where it will battle for the TV Show Champion crown.
